Making sense of an emergency caesarean

I skipped all the c-section parts of the books I read while I was pregnant because I was certain that I'd end up making it through labour drug-free having a vaginal birth.

It absolutely shook me that I ended up having an emergency c-section and for ages afterwards, I blamed my husband, the midwife, and other circumstances (like the time of day I went into labour). It was disappointing. I have heard other friends say the same thing.

It wasn't until I had an appointment for the 6 week vaccinations that the nurse looked at my large lo and said "failure to progress ending in c-section?". Apparently this is really common with big babies.

I wish this kind of information had been common knowledge so that I hadn't spent all that time wondering if I could have done things differently to prevent theatre.

I wonder if there are clear patterns as to why people end up having emergency caesareans. What are other people's stories?

My story is I have small babies which was unknown with my first...so at a post dates appt against my wishes they pushed my due date forward by 8 days telling me I was wrong even though I had been on fertility meds and tracking for years.

My body never went into labour and so at my 3rd post dates appt they couldn't find his heart beat as he was in distress - the placenta was crashing and had no waters left. They tried to induce for 10 hours before he really had no oxygen getting through, put me under a GA and he was out in about 5 mins.

It appeared that THEY were wrong. If my appt was the next day he would have been still born by then. According to them I was only 11days over when this happened.

I do hope you have a much better experience next time and that someone debriefs with you.

The Following User Says Thank You to Little Ted For This Useful Post:

I was induced at 40+1 due to a rising BP. My OB said DS was 'clinically large' but never mentioned a c-section. I had an epidural and dilated to 10cm but DS never engaged. I always thought my emergency c-section was unnecessary and my OB just wanted to go home as I was never given the chance to push but I found out a few weeks ago that DS' heart rate dropped to 30 and never rose so it was necessary. He was 4.48kg (9 pounds 14 ounces) with a big head.

I'm so so keen for a VBAC next time, just arm yourself with as much knowledge as you can.

The Following User Says Thank You to callmedragon22 For This Useful Post:

With my first labour started 3 weeks early, I'd done the birth prep classes but hadn't got to the chapter about CS in the book. My mum had had VB with 3 large babies so I was confident everything would be normal. Like you I was 100% unprepared for a CS and in complete shock!

It's unclear if labour caused me to start vomiting and running a fever or if I actually had a bug. No tests ever revealed anything but given that I didn't even get slightly queasy with my 2nd labour I now suspect I had a tummy bug. Anyhoo contractions 2-3 minutes apart but only effacing not dilating, my fever was almost at 40 and bubs heartrate was going nuts. I was lucky the day I went in was the scheduled CS day so the specialist OB and pediatrician were on as well as my OB so I got 2nd and 3rd opinions and all agreed on a CS over speeding up labour with pitocin.

I was never 100% sure until in labour with my 2nd, again effacing only not dilating despite good contractions, and his heartrate started to stay elevated just into the red. DH then told me that DD's was up at 210 during her birth. Then I knew 100% her CS was the right thing. As DS's was high but only just on the red line I was offered the option to speed up labour but warned it could put a bit of strain on my bubs heart if it stayed up for a long time. After 2 miscarriages to get him I just wanted him in my arms and I knew the CS recovery would be worth it for my baby, so opted for another 'emergency' CS.

The surgery was actually worse for me the 2nd time because I was more lucid and it took longer. But the whole process was very healing for me mentally. I felt so in control and prepared for every outcome, it really gave me a lot of peace about my feelings towards my first birth.

The Following User Says Thank You to Stretched For This Useful Post:

I was 10 days over my due date and was induced. As soon as they put the gel in about 6.30 in the morning I started contracting and dliated 3 cm. My contractions got really strong and very close together straight about (only a couple of minutes apart). They broke my water at lunch time as I was still only 3 cm dliated and they thought this would help. I was feeling the urge to push and everything and they kept checking me thinking that I was ready to go given the timing of my contractions. However I only dliated to 3 cm and stayed there. By 6.30 that night my OBGYN said enough is enough, I could barely stand at this point and he sent me for an emergency c-section. My son was 8p 9ounces.

I am about a month away from having my second, which the OBGYN said will be at least 9 pounds when I go for a planned c-section at 38 weeks. I am a pretty small build and weigh about 53kgs when not pregnant. He advised me on the first appointment that I should just have another c-section and he is 90% sure even if I try for a natural birth it will end up the same. I am happy to take this advice.

I am a bit disappointed I won't go into labour naturally but as far as labour is concerned I feel like I experienced it with my first, I just didn't get to push him out. I have had a few people say that a c-section is the easy way out, they obviously have never experienced the pain and sometimes the complications you go through when you have one.

My attitude with my last and with this one is I am happy to do whatever my OBGYN says. I really trust him and he is a fantastic Dr and I really think he just does whatever he thinks is best for the Mum and the baby. My husband is a bit tramatised with what went on with the first one (he really didn't like seeing me in pain and then be disappointed when it ended in a c-section) so he was keen for us to have a planned c-section this time.

The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to Ashfirst For This Useful Post:

My 1st birth was emergency c section and I wasn't prepared and had zero knowledge on anything 'going wrong'. Back then there was no internet, no parenting forums, no Google....nothing but anti natal classes that only had a perfect birth in mind! My baby was breech and everything went fast. I'm not going to go into it as another thread in this section a member is telling 'us' "we should know what we are doing no matter what! If not then our partner should know"....her comment REALLY peeved me off. I also got staples not stitches...yet another thing I had NO knowledge or choice.

The Following User Says Thank You to ozeymumof5 For This Useful Post:

I didn't consider a c-sec with my first baby so didn't read anything on it. I was all prepped for a vaginal birth. After a 23 hour labour my ds got stuck and my blood pressure started to drop (I have low blood pressure anyway) and so did ds. He was stressed and his nor my bp rose. They gave me another 16 minutes before brain damage would occur to him and my body would shut down. So off for a csec under GA. It was a whirlwind of events and I lost a lot of blood too. For my next baby they fully expected it to happen again so I laboured with a monitor around my chest. It was a relatively short labour (6 hours in total) and all was fine. No drugs, vaginal birth, 3rd degree tear but all good. I think I was just exhausted from the 23 hour labour as I know when i'm overtired my bp drops a fair bit. Ds was stressed as he got stuck which would warrant the dropping of the bp. I think mine was a series of random events. No pattern.

I decided to be induced for both medical and social reasons the third time around - and given that my dd came in under 3 hours (from go to woah) and wanted to be in a hospital for the birth.

long story short, failed inductions over 3 days (2 lots of gel, and foley cathedar) - dilated to 5cm only, bubs head stuck, still posterior and his heart rate was up and down. I had prepared to have a csection before we went in, so I wasn't surprised. it still was pretty full on though - never expected to have one, being my third baby they all thought he'd fly right out HAHA.

The Following User Says Thank You to BigRedV For This Useful Post:

I was 10 days over - & I was measuring "ahead" all pregnancy, so they induced me.

12 hours after they inserted the gels nothing had happened. So they put the drip in. & bam, contractions started pretty much straight away. My waters broke a few hours later. I dilated 1 cm.....and still 22 hours after that, I was still only 1 cm, so, similar to you OP, I was failure to progress & ended up in an emergency section. Baby was 10 pounds.....

I still 2 years later blame the induction - I don't believe my body or the baby was ready!!!

& I'm hoping for a VBAC for this current pregnancy.

It's really hard when you can't really see a valid "medical" reason for a c-section....

Ultimately I had a healthy happy baby - but like you was (still am) disappointed with the birth!

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